Our brains think tens of thousands of thoughts a day. Some of them we can fix today, but there are some that create intrusive, ruminating thoughts that can be quite time-consuming if I allow them to be. However, I must realize that no matter what I think about them, they cannot be changed today or for a long time, therefore I must realize that I need to put them aside for now and focus on the good of the day.

Some thoughts can be hard to battle, especially if they are about really big changes to one’s routine. It can be further compounded if there are some unknown variables in that mix. Then there are times you want to blame those behind the decision because of your history or not realizing the whole story. These thoughts can all over consume my brain on a decision that is going to happen several weeks down the road.

The reality is that there must be realization that no matter what, is anything going to happen if I think about it today and let it consume my brain with intrusive, ruminating thoughts that can really spiral out of control. No matter how much I think about it, nothing is going to happen about it today and I am just wasting time where I can be doing things that I would rather enjoy.

Yes, things change, and they can bring on a lot of concerns that can be burdensome for the brain. They can cause a great deal of fear when you think the worst way out is the most unimaginable. Humans all must experience change and the autistic population is not exempt from this. However, it can be more challenging for us because we don’t like it and it can be difficult to transition to, especially if there are unknown variables in the process.

We often fall into a comfort zone where we become too dependent on things always being there for us. When that is taken away from us as autistic people, it feels as if our life is pulled away from under us and for me specifically all I want to do is run away from a change that makes me feel uncomfortable about it and want to retreat to where I feel safe. But where I feel safe doesn’t pay the bills unfortunately and the fact of reality is that I must undergo the change whether I like it or not.

While I do have to undergo that change, does it matter on a Saturday morning? No. Why should I take my Saturday morning and let these thoughts consume me because I know that nothing will change today by thinking about it. The reality is that it has to be faced whether I like it or not. Therefore, there is no sense of catastrophizing about something that I know that I cannot change and is going to happen. I know what I know and that is what I can live with now. Nothing is going to happen today that can be easily fixed.

Indeed, it is adulting and we all must go through changes that we do not want to. But obsessing and catastrophizing over them all the time, especially on the weekend when they are not a part of the equation, is not going to help you get through the day on a sound note. Others are going to be disgusted at you for constantly bringing something up that they know is a miniscule of a change, but in the long run it could be for the best in the end and being able to see things in a better light may prove to be the best thing that it can be.

Therefore, if you are worrying about something that you know cannot be changed in the immediate future do what you can to retrack your mind away from what you are allowing your brain to ruminate on consistently and allow the positivity of the day to shine in your life. There is no reason to let yourself down on things that you cannot change in the very day, so make the best of today and enjoy the day!